When the unthinkable happens
by Fanficjunkie93
Summary: The summary is all in the title.


~Hey everyone, I know I haven't even updated my other GA fic but I just had to get this one out there before the episode airs on Thursday. I'm convinced that they are going to kill my girl Catherine off the show and I'm really sad about it. Poor Richard can't catch a break with his love life and my man Jackson is going to be crushed. Fingers crossed that she makes it through the surgery but knowing this show there's a high chance that this is it for her. I literally just wrote this story last night after rewatching the promo for the millionth time. I just wanted to write what I think could happen if it really is her time to go. So be prepared everyone this is a sad one. Don't be afraid to Comment, fav, and follow. I won't make it a habit of killing off characters, it hurts me too much. : (

* * *

Jackson sat at the table with his mom trying his best to keep his emotions in check. He watched with watery eyes and a smile that was really more a grimace as his mother held his daughter. He watched as she smiled and played with her. He knew what this was. She was going into surgery in a couple days and she wanted a chance to see her granddaughter before that happened. It was life or death, either she made it out alive or she didn't. She wanted to put her affairs in order.

"Jackson, baby." Her hand on his face brought his attention back to her. She gently wiped the tears that mysteriously found their way on his face. "It's going to be okay."

He hated those words more than he hated any words in his entire life because it wasn't. It wasn't going to be okay, at least they didn't know if it was or not and optimism only goes so far.

"Yea, you're right, it'll be fine." He said lying through his teeth. He didn't believe it and deep down neither did she.

He viciously wiped at the traitorous tears and took a calming breath that did nothing to actually calm the raging fire within him. She was his mom, his last remaining family other than Harriet. His deadbeat father didn't count. She was the one who raised him, she was there for him through the toughest times of his life. He would hold himself together because she would do the same for him.

The three of them spent the day together just like she and Webber spent the previous day together. It was just them, enjoying their time together. They didn't talk about her cancer or any of their concerns they simply made the best out of their day.

* * *

The following day she was in the hospital, a room was prepared for her and she was settled in preparation for her surgery tomorrow morning.

Half her day was spent on different people in the hospital. People who were important to her.

Maggie walked into the room meekly. Sure she looked up to Catherine and she already planned on coming to see her, but to be summoned there by her specifically had her heart beating out of her chest.

"Catherine," Maggie called her name when she saw her eyes shut.

"Come on in Maggie I'm awake, just resting my eyes," Catherine said as her eyes opened.

Maggie smiled and walked closer to the woman.

"Come have a seat Maggie, I just want to have a talk with you." Catherine sat up in the hospital bed as Maggie sat beside her in the chair.

"Okay." Maggie took a seat next to Catherine, her hands wringing together in nervousness.

"My son cares deeply for you." Catherine started off by saying. She watched Maggie for her reaction.

Maggie's eyes widened in surprise, both at the fact that Jackson felt so strongly for her and that Catherine knew about it.

"By the look on your face, I'd say either you don't feel the same way, or you had no idea." She had a sudden thought, "You two are still together right?"

"We uh, we're working through some things." Maggie awkwardly said. She and Jackson never did discuss their deteriorating relationship. Catherine's condition took precedent.

"I see." She looked at Maggie curiously. "He loves you, Maggie. I don't know what your problems are right now, but you should know that he loves you." Catherine sighed. "I don't want to leave here and question whether or not he's taking care of himself. He'll try to keep it together for Harriet but he won't take care of himself. If this goes badly, he's going to need someone, and that someone is you."

Maggie wiped a tear from her eye as she listened to Catherine speak of her possible death. "Of course I'll be there for him. Whether we're together or not I won't let him go through this alone."

Catherine reached out and took hold of Maggie's hands. "I knew there was a reason I liked you. You're a strong woman and my Jackson needs someone like you in his life. Don't let his stubbornness push you away. If this doesn't go my way he's going to need you more than ever."

Maggie wasn't an idiot, far from it. She wasn't going to waste time telling her she was wrong and that she was going to make it. She saw Catherine's scans and they weren't good. Hell her mother died from cancer so if Catherine wanted to get all of this out before her surgery than she would listen to whatever she had to say.

Maggie gave her a watery smile.

"I need you to promise me that you'll take care of him, I want to hear you say the words." Catherine may have been pushing it, but hey she was the one dying of cancer. She got to be blunt if she wanted to. "I'm the only parent he has left," Catherine said to her.

"I promise." She wouldn't deny her wish. She wanted to ask about Jackson's father, she didn't know a thing about him, but she figured Jackson would tell her about him when he was ready.

"Thank you, honey. I'm glad that he has you in his life." Catherine smiled gratefully. If the worse happened she was reassured that her baby would be taken care of.

* * *

Meredith walked briskly to the room. She could only think of one reason why Catherine Fox would ask for her, and that was to berate her about her lack of doctor-patient confidentiality.

She stopped nervously outside the door wondering if it was really necessary that she came. She could definitely do without her angry words.

"You gonna stand out there all day or are you coming in," Catherine shouted from the room.

Meredith inwardly cursed. She walked into the room as if she wasn't fazed.

"You can calm down, I'm over being angry about your betrayal. You had the right intentions and regardless of how I felt I'm glad that they found out." Catherine said putting the girl at ease.

Meredith nodded and took a seat by her bed. "Okay. I am sorry that I betrayed your trust. My mom hid her sickness from us as well and it didn't turn out good for any of us."

Catherine nodded her head in understanding. "I get it, I do. What I do want from you is for you to be there for Richard. If this goes bad I need you to keep him on the up and up. He'll want to relapse and he might just do it. I've convinced him to find another sponsor, but I don't want him to fall apart if I don't make it. You are like a daughter to him and I want you to promise me that you'll watch out for him. After your mother, and then Adele he's had the worst luck with women." Catherine let out a sad laugh.

"Why me? Why not Maggie. She's his actual daughter." Meredith was surprised that Catherine would ask this of her.

"She'll have her hands full with Jackson. I've already talked to her." Catherine looked at Meredith waiting on her answer.

"Okay, I'll do it. I promise I'll take care of him. It won't be easy that's for sure, but I'll take care of him." Meredith promised surprising herself with her quick answer, but Catherine didn't really have much time for Meredith to debate on whether she could or couldn't do this. She would do this for her, because Catherine Fox was an amazing woman, and she'd do this for Richard because even though he wasn't her father he was the closest thing she had. And she would do this for Jackson because he was her friend. He was there for her when she needed him. Hell, he helped save her late husband's life with a gun pointed at his head. She would do this for them because though they weren't blood, they were family.

Catherine smiled at her and squeezed her hand in thanks.

* * *

Today was the day. Catherine was wheeled into the OR and set up. Jackson had already had his talk with his mother. Everyone told him that him watching the surgery wasn't an option. So here he sat waiting for news on the surgery. He was extremely grateful for Maggie. She sat beside him holding his hand. His head leaned back against the wall as his mind went through all sorts of scenarios.

Maggie didn't offer up any false assurances. That wasn't what Jackson needed right now. He just needed someone to be there for him.

Weber was sitting in the viewing room watching the surgery with Meredith and Bailey sitting beside him. His blood pressure was skyrocketing just sitting there. They were hours into the surgery when Amelia shouted. "If we keep going we cost Catherine her life!"

Everything from there was a blur. The only thing Richard was aware of was the long beep on the monitor indicating no heartbeat.

Everything stood still at that.

They had tried to remove the tumor anyways because that was what Catherine wanted. She didn't want to waste away she wanted to try and fight this, but in the end, the cancer won out.

Just like expected Richard broke down. Bailey and Meredith each on either side of him held him as he cried.

Clearly, he wasn't meant to find love. How could this happen again? How could the person he loved with all his heart no longer be with him?

Amelia and Koracic walked out to talk to Jackson. Weber was in no condition to do so, but it seemed there were no words needed. Jackson knew the faces doctors made when they lost a patient, he was a doctor after all. So when Koracic and Amelia walked out with their caps in their hands and eyes red he knew what they were going to say.

His eyes widened, instantly filling with tears as he watched in devastation at the looks of failure on their faces. They weren't able to save her. It was a long shot to begin with, but what kid didn't think their parent could beat those odds. He sobbed as Maggie held onto him, leaning into her touch and letting out his sorrows.

Maggie cried right along with him holding him when all his strength left him. She knew what he was feeling, she'd experienced the same thing. He was there for her and she was going to do the same thing for him.

This hurdle would be a tough one, one of the worst things that he would face, but she would be right by his side helping him through it.


End file.
